Apparatus for straining paint



Feb. 16, 1932. F. N. GEORGE APPARATUS FQR STRAINING `PAINT 2 Shams-Sheet 2 Filed July 25, 1929 Nh. .im Hm um. wh. @su om..

tainers are to beiilled. n

Patented Fe g eme NT ferries FRANK N. GEORGE, on BUFFALO, NEW YORK APPARATUS FonsTRAiNING PAINT Application flied July 23,1929. "sei-iai No. 380,329.

AMy invention relates to improvements in an apparatus Jfor straining paint and like material, and illing cans oi' other containers.

-One of the objects of my invention isto 5 provide an apparatus whereby'paintcan be continuously ted to theV filler tanks from which cans or other containers are to be iilled wit-h paint, and wherein provision is made for straining the paint so that it Vwill be delivered to the filling spigots or other outletsandr be ready for the market upon closing of the containers.

Another object of my inventio-n is'the provision of means for intermittently furnishing the paint at a compressed air, contrariwise :to the flowv oi suitable point, or points, lbetween the mixing vat or vats andthe filling point or points at whichthe cans or other con- A further object of my invention is the proj-f vision of an apparatus in which a plurality of iller tanks are provided and also Aa plurality of mixing vats,all associated with pressure-controlling means operating to inte`rniit. tentiy, admit compressed air to the filler tanksI and allow the escape of the 'air therefrom,I andV in placing within or upon the filler tanks,

screening devi delivered from ces through which the paint the mixing vatsis delivered to the filler tanks contrary tothe direction of the air escaping or attempting to escape from said iiller tanks.

ther object s of my invention are to provide new and novel equipment for filling cans or other contai market, whereby the paint will bev properly,

strained witho same and thus apparatus.

ners with paint ready for the ut retarding the flow of the reducing the capacity of the With the above and other objects in View, my invention consists-'in the novel'features of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafterv described and more particularly pointed out in 'the subjoined claims.

ln the drawings Fig. 1 is a vi apparatus or e i. in elevation.

ew showing parts of my novel quipment in section and part section,'taken on line vmore floors vvcfa building, and inthe drawp ingsk I' have showntwo loorslof a building, 65

in" which 7 designates one floor and 8a second loonand on which latter suitable mixingvats 9, 10, 11, of any type, are supported. While I have shown three mixingvats, one or any other number of such vats may be used. v'lil r These "vats may contain paint of the same or different colorsor kind, and they Vhave delivery pipes 12, 13, '14, respectively, connected to the bottoms thereoie and'fextending through the loor 8; said delivery pipes ter- 75 minatiiig above filler tanks 15, 16, 17, respectively. I TheseV tanks need not be equal Vin number. to themixing vats and may be of any desired size 4or construction.' They may rest upon a table vor other elevated support-8c 18 standing upon thefloor?, lor be otherwise supported. The several pipes 12, 13 and 14 are connected together by horizontal connectorfpipes 19,- eachof which'has a shut-olif valve 20 therein; and a shut-ottz val-ve 21 is 85 arranged in each of the delivery pipes above vits connection with the horizontal pipe or pipes 1 9. `yIfhe delivery pipes also have shutoit valves 22 `therein betweenthe horizontal pipe or pipes19 and their lower or outlet v90 en s.

The riiller tanks 15, 16 `and 17. are open at their upper ends, and screen pans 23 having downwardly-tapered peripheral Vwalls or body portions extend into theopen ends ot. 95

said tanks and have frictional contact with y the peripheral wallsthereof. f

The peripheral walls of the filler tanks are somewhat yielding and conformable to the exact shape of the screen pans so that when 190 the screen pans are placed thereinto, said pans are rendered substantially air-tight around the circular region where they receive support from the tank walls.v Said screen pans are open at the bottom and their downwardly-tapered peripheral walls are provided with inwardly-directed anges 24 which supportl screens 25 placed within the pans and serving as foraminous bottoms therefor. Under this arrangement, paint from any mixing vat or vats may/bede-` livered to all of the filler tanks, or paint from each vat Ymay be delivered to any individual or any number of filler tanks less than the complete number used in the apparatus or plant;

Normally, the valves 2O in the horizontal connector pipes 19 are closed, and upon opening the valves 21 and 22 of each delivery pipe, paint will be delivered from each mixing vat into one of the filler tanks.

If, forl example, it is desired to deliver painty from-the mixing vat 9 to the filler tanks 15 and 16, the valves 21 and 22 in the delivery pipe l2, the valve 22 in the delivery t pipe 13 and the valve 20 in the horizontal connector pipe between said two delivery pipes are opened, whereupon the paint will flow from the vat 9 to the screen pans 23 of the two filler Vtanks 15 and 16. If,however, it is'desired to Vdeliver paint from eachof the mixing vats to a separate filler tank, the valves 2O in the connector pipes 19 are closed and the valves 21 and 22 in each of the delivery pipes opened.

lVithout further explanation of this pipe and valve arrangement, it will be apparent that paint may be taken selectively from any qfjhe mixing vat-s and delivered selectively to any desired filler tank or tanks.

The paint delivered into the screen pans passes through the screen or foraminous bottoms of said pans and enters the ller tanks, from which the strained paint is discharged through spigots 26 or other suitable deliverycontrolling devices into cans, pails, or other containers 27, which may be of any desired construction. Where paint is to be sold in gallon quantities, pails are usually employed which areV closed in any approved manner and where the paintis'to be sold in smaller quantities, cans are usually employed.

Itis generally known that paint delivered from mixing vats is not in marketable condition and must therefore be strained before delivering it to the containers in which it is to be sold, and invariably, when straining paint delivered from the mixing vats, the capacity of the plant or apparatus is materially reduced, due to the fact the `matter strained out of the paint so clogs the passage or passages in the straining medium-that the iiow of paint will'be stopped, and this necessitates the cleaning of the straining medium to free the passage or passagesof the obstructing matter.

To assure a continuous flow of paint and the continuous filling of the cans, pails, or other containers to be marketed, I have provided new and novel means for maintaining the passages in the screening elements in free and clear condition at all times.

With this end in view I employ a controlled air-supply including an air-controlling valve, and preferably impart variable speed to the valve element of said controlling valve in moving said element from and into open and closed position with reference to its admission of compressed air thereto. In the drawings I have therefore Vshown as one embodiment of this feature of my invention, a compressed air tank 28 which receives its compressed air from any suitable source through a pipe 29 connected thereto. I also employ a suitable motor; for example, an electric motor 30, which may be supported in any suitable manner, but is shown as hanging from the floor 8, which divides one story of the building from another. A hanger 31 is suspended from the floor 8 and it has a journal for a shaft 32 rotated by means of'reduction gearing within a reduction gear box 33 so that the speed of the shaft 32 is considerably reduced Vfrom that of the shaft of the motor 30. The

VI mount a disk 34 which is adapted for continuous rotary movement upon operation of the motor 30, but at greatly reduced speed v from that of the motor. p

The air controlling valve comprises an elongated cylindrical valve casin g 35 to which is connected al compressed air pipe 36 leading from the compressed air tank 28 and having acontrol valve 37 therein, The valve casing 35 is open at one end, as at 38, and closed at its other end by means of a reducer 39 having an air outlet 40 to which an air pipe 41 is connected, said pipe 41 having branch air pipes 42, 43, 44 connected thereto which lead to the filler tanks 15, 16, 17, respectively, each of said branch pipes having a control valve 45 therein.

Admission of compressed air to the valve casing 35 is controlled by a reciprocating piston-valve 46 within said valve casing, and this valve is operated to control the admission of compressed air through an inlet 47 in the valve casing, into which inlet the air supply pipe 36 is connected. 'The valve casing 35 has exhaust ports 48, 49 at opposite sides of the inlet 47 along the length of the valve casing for-the discharge of the spent or at least utilized air; and the-piston-valve 46 is bored out, or made hollow along a portion of its length, as at 50,'and nearv the inner Yend of this bore or hollowed-out portion it is provided With a port 51, serving as both an inlet Y and outlet port. This valve maybe provided With packing rings' 52, similar `toipiston rings onl an engine piston,`to make ythe valveairtight and prevent 4the escape of compressed air alongtlie same. Y-

A link or connecting rod 53 hasone endl pivotally connected-to the outer end oftlie piston-valve 46, as at 54, and :its other end is pivotally connected eccentrically to the rotating disk 34, as at 55. v

When the port`51 in the piston-valve 46 is in registration with the inlet 47 in the valve casing,'compressed air is allowed to enter the hollow piston-valve, provided thek control valve 37 in the air supply pipe 36 is open; This air is delivered through'the air pipey 41Y to any one or more ofthe' branch pipes connectedY to the filler tanks, depending on Whether or not the valves in said "pipes are openi or closed. Therefore, airmay be selectively supplied to these iller tanks by simple manipulation of the valves45. lIt is, of course, understood that when paint is not being supplied to the filler tanksloralny of them, the supply ofV air will be shut olf from the tanks. V a

As the movement -of the p'iston-valveis continuous, although variable duringl the op; eration of the motor, the-'port 51,which has served as an air inl-et when passing-over the inlet port 47 in the valve casingfis .moved either to the outlet port 48 or 49, depending onthe direction of movement of saidvalve,V

and at such` times the port 51 in the, pistonc ,valve becomes an air exhaust port and allows the air within the pipe 41; the'valvefcasing 35, and the piston-valve 46 yto escapeyorfat-` least causes reductionof the a-irypressure to atmosphericpressure within ksuch parts.

Due to the fact that'V the connecting rod 53 is ,eccentrically connected to the rotating disk 34, which may be any other eccentricdevice, such asia crank or the like, the conversion of` the rotary movement of said disk to recipro-V r eating movement of the piston-.valve will result in variable movement of said valve, due to the fact that saidvalve will be caused to travel along a greaterrange of movement while `the pivot 55 of its connecting rod travels through theupper. or lowerquaiter` of its circular path of movement than when. traveling through th-e. intermediate or yside quarters of its circular path, as ,viewed in Fig. 4; and this quick range; of movement,

as illustrated in the drawings, preferably occurs during the time the port 51 in 'the' pistonvalve travels between theztwo exhaust `ports 48 and 49 of the piston casing. Therefore, the charge of compressed air admitted to: the

i piston-valve occurs -over` a comparatively short period of time inthe cycle offmovement of the pistoni-valve; whereas, when the port 51 in said piston-valve;approachesor at least reaches either of the exhaustports, 48 or 4 9, the speedofniovement of the pistonvalveis reducedfsonthat 'the'port 51 in 'said valve wi'llbe in registration with the kexhaust port-48, or .the exhaust port 49 over acornparatively long period of time, especially since said exhaust lports aie considerably longer than the port 51. Said last-mentioned Y,

port 51 is maintained in line with or in operativeto the exhaust port 48 during a considera-ble portion. of its movement when at the left hand end of its range-of travel, as viewed in Fig. 4, and in line ywith thepoit 49 during a like/period of time when the piston-valve is vatthe right hand end of its movement, as viewedin said figure. When the'port 51 in the piston-valve isopentoeither of the exhaust'ports 48, 49, compressed airdelivered to the pipe41, the valve casing, and the said valve has what maybe termed a free escape to atmospheric air.

Itis, ofcourse, to bev understood that matter whichv cannot-.pass through the meshes of the screens, 4lor openings of the foraminous bot- 'tomsof the'screen pans, lodgesupon said bottoms and tends toprevent, orf at least retard,

Vthe passage'offreelowingpaint through the saidbottoms. Under presentk day methods, regardless of the type of screen devices used, shutting ofl the flow of paint from the mixing vats is found necessary in orderto remove the clogging matter from the devices, either by replacing the devices with others that inentadherin'g to the devices and filling the openings'inithe same. f l 1 `With my invention, compressed air .is delivered into the `)filler tanks between the level.

of the filtered paint therein and the paint screens, and this air tends to quicken the flow of paint from the filler tanks when in the act of filling cans or other similar vesselsand at the same time lifts'the foreign or clogging inatterconsisting of pigments, scumand the like,`from the screen so as to allow the passage of'paint through said screen. This air is ad-` inittedk to the filler tanks for comparatively short periods only, as will be clear from the description ofl they controlling valve.

Vhave beenlcleaned,'orby reniovingthe sedi- When said valve is in the position shown stant said port 51 completely passes the inlet port 47 in the .valve casing, the air isshut off and no opportunity for the escape of 'air from the filler tanks and their connections is oered, except upwardly through Y the forarninous bottoms of the screen pans 23, until theport -lin thepistonyalve is opened by passingpthe exhaust'port 49 inthe valve casing. The pressure ofthe air within theiiller tank or tanks is then'lowered and the air allowed to escape through the port y'49 until the piston-valve has reached the end of'its movement toward'the right and has traveled through apoition of its movement toward the left. TWhen the port 5l in the pistonvalve is again brought inV registration with the inlet port 47 in the valve casing, an additional charge of compressed air is admitted and acts upon the foraminous bottoms of the screen pans until the port 51 is closed by passing beyond the port 47. When this port 5l in the piston-valve reaches the exhaust port 48, the compressed air is allowed lto escape in the manner just described with reference to the port 49. This action of the air is continued so long as the piston-valve is operated by the motor.A It will therefore be apparent that compressed air is admitted intermittently of theller tanks and frees'the openings or meshes in the bottoms of the pans and also lifts the undersirable matter within said pans to allow the .paint to pass through said bottoms into the filler tanks.

The mixing vats are considerably larger than shown in the'drawings when compared with the filler tanks; rand in the use ofmy invention, it has been found to be unnecessary to empty `and clean'the screen pans untilall of the paint has beenfdischarged from the mixing vats. Y I My invention assures a freel and unobstructed flow of paint to the filler tanks at all times, and also assures maximum filling capacity for the apparatus over any 'given period of time..

Having thus described my invention what-'1 claim is i 1. The combination of a filler tank having a delivery controlling device by means of Y which paint is Vdelivered therefrom to con-l tainers to be filled, a removable screen pan extending into. the top of said tank and having a downwardly-tapered wall engaging the peripheral wall of said tank at the upper edge thereof in a substantiallyV air-tight manner, means for delivering paint into said screen pan, and'means for introducing air into the filler tank below said screen an.

2. The combination of a filler tank being open at its upper end and having a peripheral wall conformable at its upper edge tovpressure applied from the interior thereof, a removable screen-pan having a foraminous bottom and a downwardly-tapered wall extendv ing into the upper open end of said tank and having its downwardly-tapered wall in contact with and exerting pressure against the peripheral wall of said tank at its upper edge t. and by reason ofsaid conformable wall being 3.' A filler tank open at its upper end and containing a quantity of' paint, said tank having means .at a low point to deliver paint therefrom, a removable foraminous element in saidtankengaging the wall of the latter in an air-tight manner near its upperend and separated from the paint'withinv said tank by an intervening space,'means for delivering paint lonto said formaiiiouselement, and means for delivering compressed air to said intervening space. y

4. A filler tank open at its upper end and containing a quantity of paint, said tank having means at a low point to deliver paint therefrom, a foraminous elementy invsaid tank engaging the wall of the latter in anair-tight manner near its upper end and separated from the paint within said tank b y an intervening space, means for delivering` paint onto said foraminous element, and means for intermittently admitting air to said intervening space to clear the openings in said foraminous element and lift matter resting thereon so as to allow the passage of paint therethrough.

y 5. The combination of'aiiller tank containing a quantity of paint and having means toV deliver paint therefrom at a. low point,ra removable foraminous wall engaging the wall of said tank at a high point in' an air-tight ly admitcompressed air to said tank between said foraminous Wall and the accumulated Vpaintinsaidtank.

'6. The combination with a compressed air tank, of a manually controllable filler tank containing'a quant-ity of paint and having means to deliver paint therefrom, said filler. tank having a screen separating the space within said-'filler tank from the surrounding air and engaging the wall of said filler tank in an air-tight manner, a pipe'interposed between said oompressed air tank and said filler tank and having connection with said coinpressed air tank and with said filler tank above the level of the paint therein, means for delivering paint onto said screen, and controlling meansibetween said compressed airtank and saidliller tank to which said pipe is connectedand whereby air is intermittently allowed to travel from said compressed air tank to said filler tank.

7. In an apparatus ofthe kind described, a plurality of filler tanks having removable screens at their upper ends engaging the walls of said Atank in an air-tight manner and through which'paint is to be delivered to said tanks, means forv delivering'paint onto said removable screens,`and means to selectively deliver compressed airto said tanks underneath said screens.

8; lnan apparatus of the kind described,

a plurality of iiller'tanks'having removable 1I FRANK N. GEORGE i 

